The central Escondido neighborhood has a history of gang violence, but there were no overt signs that the shooting was rooted in gang activity, he said.

Griffin said the gunman approached the victim and that the two men briefly spoke, but the exchange did not appear heated.

The victim, who appeared to be in his 20s, was shot multiple times, including in his neck. The gunman ran off.

Officers arrived at the scene within three minutes of receiving a call about a shooting, Griffin said. The victim received first aid and was then taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. He died shortly after arriving.

The suspect was described as a Latino man wearing blue shorts, a white shirt and a blue baseball cap.

The shooting marked the second homicide in the city this year. Last month, Michael James Hemphill, 58, pleaded not guilty to murder in the shooting death April 24 of his landlady’s friend, Brandon Sanchez, 36, in front of the landlady’s home.

In 2012, six murders occurred in Escondido.

The investigation into Tuesday’s fatal shooting is continuing. Police are asking anyone with information to call the department at (760) 839-4722.